a bit knowledge about Japanese CDs -CATALOG NUMBER- (1992~)

<< tips about CDs pressed/released in Japan >>

If you are collecting, or willing to collect Japanese CDs,

you'd better know some things about

CDs pressed/released in Japan

On this blog, there are some tips which may help you getting BETTER ones.

*-* CATALOG NUMBER *-*

There are some secrets at "CATALOG NUMBER" of Japan pressing CDs. This may be one of the most unique points of Japan Edition CDs.

Here, we talk about catalog numbers of Record Labels who are joining in
NIHON-RECORD KYOKAI
(Recording Industry Association of Japan / RIAJ).
Most of major labels are members of RIAJ, like

TOSHIBA EMI

SONY (CBS/EPIC and other SONY)

PONY CANYON

UNIVERSAL (POLYDOR)

VICTOR ENTERTAINMENT

WARNER

ALFA

AVEX

APOLLON/ROADRUNNER JAPAN 

etc.

If you have any JAPAN-EDITION CD in your shelf, please check the catalog number.

If your CD is "released after 1992 version" the number may be like this,

? ?  C ? - 1 2 3 4

for example,

if yours is from TOSHIBA EMI, the catalog number may start from

TOCP, TOCJ, TOCE etc.

if it was SONY, CBS/SONY or EPIC/SONY, it may be

SRCS, CSCS, ESCA, SICP etc.

Of course, other labels also have their own patterns of the catalog numbers, and now,

there is 1 thing we can find in those "4 letters".

The 3rd letter is always "C". 

PCCY.POCP.WPCP.AMCY.RRCY.APCY.UICL.VICP.ALCB.AVCD..PHCR......

There are many well-known catalog numbers (former 4 letters), but there is "C" on the 3rd portion on all catalog numbers.

The reason is very easy. The "C" means "CD".

If you have DVD-AUDIO (from Japan), the 3rd letter is "A"m and if yours is BLU-RAY (from Japan), it should be "X". That is, it changes by the sort of the products.

Then, what is the 1st, 2nd and the 4th letters?

It's easy as the 3rd letter, too. If you'll learn this, you may remember many catalog numbers easily.

The 1st/2nd letters means the LABEL.
Here we list some major ones.

"SRCS" ... SONY RECORDS

"CSCS" ... CBS/SONY

"ESCA" ... EPIC/SONY

"SICP" ... SONY INTERNATIONAL

"AMCY" ... ATLANTIC/MMG (WARNER)
"WPCP" ... WARNER-PIONEER

"TOCP" ... TOSHIBA EMI
"VICP" ... VICTOR ENTERTAINMENT
"BVCP" ... BMG VICTOR
"MVCM" ... MCA VICTOR

"CRCL" ... NIPPON CROWN

"KICP" ... KING RECORDS
"VJCP" ... VIRGIN JAPAN
"UICL" ... UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL
"PHCR" ... NIPPON PHONOGRAM
"PCCY" ... PONY CANYON
"POCP" ... POLYDOR
"TECW" ... TEICHIKU
"TKCF" ... TOKUMA JAPAN
"APCY" ... APOLLON
"RRCY" ... ROADRUNNER JAPAN
"MICP" ... MARQUEE INCORPORATED
"TFCK" ... TOY'S FACTORY
"ALCB" ... ALFA
"AVCD" ... AVEX
"XRCN" ... ZERO (XERO) CORPORATION

... we might have forgotten some others, but this is what the 1st/2nd letters of the catalog number means.
Some labels in the above list had already disappeared because of mergers of companies etc.
CBS/SONY, EPIC/SONY are now a part of SONY INTERNATIONAL.
VIRGIN JAPAN became a inner section of TOSHIBA EMI.
APOLLON is now ROADRUNNER JAPAN.
NIPPON PHONOGRAM, POLYDOR are now in UNIVERSAL group.
Therefore, CDs will NOT be re-issued with the old catalog numbers if the original label disappears, and that is why there are many versions of the same title in Japan..

Another blog of SANREMO
Japanese Collectibles -JAPAN Toys/Figures-

our own web-shop

SANREMO CO.,LTD.

our ebay store

SANREMO at EBAY 

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.

a bit knowledge about JAPANESE CDs OBI-STRIP 2

<< tips about CDs pressed/released in Japan >>

If you are collecting, or willing to collect Japanese CDs,

you'd better know some things about

CDs pressed/released in Japan

On this blog, there are some tips which may help you getting BETTER ones.

*-* OBI STRIP part 2 "keeping the OBI safely" *-*

For collectors, "how to keep OBI safely" is very important.
OBI is attached outside the jewel case when it's selling as NEW/SEALED, and after 1992 or 1993, OBI-STRIPS of most of all titles are free from the jewel cases. So, it's needed to keep OBI somewhere to keep holding it as a collection.
Most popular place to put the OBI-STRIP may be at the front lid of the jewel case.

Putting OBI on the lid of the jewel case

it's important to put it
beneath the TAB of the jewel case

Putting OBI on the lid of the jewel case is easy, and it's safe if the OBI is put very carefully.
But, it often cause some problems and the problems cause flaws on OBI, like this.

This causes a TAB MARK when the lid is closed.

OBI, put over the right edge of the front-lid will... 

be caught between the LID and the TRAY, and
one edge of the OBI-STRIP will be BENT or FOLDED.

Putting OBI under the tray of the jewel case
may be the safest method

although the OBI's design is hidden

There are some different types of OBI-STRIP.
Sometimes it changes by the releasing era, and sometimes the difference is because of LIMITED EDITION and/or SPECIAL SHAPE.
When the shape of OBI-STRIPS are different, the keeping method will also changes.

There are 3, typical "EARLY" types of OBI-STRIP.

BIG OBI, covering all REAR-COVER portion

OBI-STICKER, pasted directly on the jewel case

TALL OBI, just as tall as the jewel case

At SANREMO online shop (also at eBay),
we're checking these details, too, before listing.

On our next blog, we'll write more details about OBI-STRIP.

Another blog of SANREMO
Japanese Collectibles -JAPAN Toys/Figures-

our own web-shop

SANREMO CO.,LTD.

our ebay store

SANREMO at EBAY 

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.

a bit knowledge about JAPANESE CDs OBI-STRIP

<< tips about CDs pressed/released in Japan >>

If you are collecting, or willing to collect Japanese CDs,
you'd better know some things about

CDs pressed/released in Japan

On this blog, there are some tips which may help you getting BETTER ones.

*-* OBI STRIP part 1 "What is OBI?" *-*

Each CD that was released in Japan has a PAPER STRIP (small PAPER SHEET) called OBI-STRIP when the CD is NEW/UNOPENED although there are some CDs which don't have it from the first.

OBI STRIPS / many designs & colors

OBI originally means, in Japanese, a WIDE BELT to bind Japanese traditional clothes called KIMONO. On the below picture (picture from Japanese Amazon), the clothes is called KIMONO, and the belt is called OBI.

In Japanese, beltlike / belt-shaped things are expressed as "LIKE OBI (OBI-JOU)".
Many decades ago, Japanese publishers added a belt-shaped ad paper on BOOKS, and they called the paper "OBI" because the shape is just like KIMONO's OBI on a book.

BOOK's OBI-STRIP (black one)

removable ad paper (black one)

This "AD PAPER on BOOKS" is the start of OBI-STRIP.
On books' OBI, advertising and/or publicity copies are written. Sometimes it is an output of the story, and sometimes it's an easy biography of the writer. Customers read it and decide to buy or not to buy the book.

BOOK's OBI appeared around 1930 in Japan, and around 1960, Japanese Record-Labels started to add OBI-STRIPs also to vinyl-records.
We're sorry that we don't have a sample photo of VINYL RECORD with OBI, but it looks like this.

(picture from Amazon Japan)
This photo is of recent "MINI-LP SLEEVE (CD)" one, and those series are imitating OLD VINYL RECORDS' shapes.
Actually vinyl records were selling with looks like this decades ago.
OBI was rounding around LP sleeve, and the sleeve was put into a vinyl bag.
On vinyl-records' OBI-STRIPS, same as BOOKS' ones, impressive words/copies are written to appeal the LP to buyers. Japanese Labels sometimes gave a strange Japanese title to an album, and it was also an epoch-making advertisement.
For example, FRANK ZAPPA's "The Man From Utopia" was entitled, only in Japan, as
"A FLY, A FLY, A MOSQUITO, A MOSQUITO, A MOSQUITO, ZAPPA-PPA".
This was a unique phrase which was used on Japanese TV CM, but those STRANGE words are PRINTED on OBI with BIG LETTERS, and the title gave big impacts to buyers.

Anyway, before 1981 (the first CD release in Japan), OBI-STRIP already had a long history.
And, this is WHY the Japan CD's small paper-strip is called OBI even though it never looks like a belt.

*-* OBI STRIP part 1-2 "CD's OBI-STRIP"  *-*

When OBI is not on the jewel case (CD case), CDs look as the above photo in the shelf.
It must be a usual look in music fans' rooms.
But, when a music fan is collecting Japanese CDs, it may be like this,
These CDs are of SONY RECORDS and CBS/SONY (older ones). There are many SERIES of CDs-REISSUE, and the same series has same designs.
And, if the music fan has clear vinyl bags to put CDs into it each by each, he may be able to put his CDs in his shelves like this,

This is one of the most impressive things about Japan-release CDs, we think.
When a CD is NEW, UNOPENED, the CD is selling at CD-shops like this, and it's fun to collect a series of CDs with same-designed OBI.

A music fan who is not a collector in Japan usually do NOT keep the OBI. Many persons throw OBI in their dust-boxes. Therefore, many second-hand CDs are selling WITHOUT OBI-STRIP at USED CD SHOPS. To get ones WITH OBI is important for Japan CD collectors.

Our next blog will show details about OBI-STRIP.
At SANREMO online shop (also at eBay),
we're checking these details, too, before listing.

our own web-shop

SANREMO CO.,LTD.

our ebay store

SANREMO at EBAY 

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.

a bit knowledge about JAPANESE CDs the date of release

<< tips about CDs pressed/released in Japan >>

If you are collecting, or willing to collect Japanese CDs,
you'd better know some things about

CDs pressed/released in Japan

On this blog, there are some tips which may help you getting BETTER ones.

*-* RELEASE DATE *-*
On "most of" Japan pressing CDs, the releasing date is indicated on OBI-STRIP and/or REAR INLAY as this picture.

This means that this CD was "released on 1995 - Sep. - 30".

The upper date is of "RELEASE IN JAPAN", and the below one is of "RELEASE IN THE ORIGINAL COUNTRY" (since the original sound-source is from overseas).
This CD was released on the same day as the world release.

(*) In Japan, months' are expressed as this,

January -1, February -2, March -3, April -4, May -5, June -6, July -7, August -8, September -9, October -10, November -11, December -12
(**) regarding letters next to the date,
Y means "master sound-sources are from overseas",

X means "not allowed for a CD-rental".

This indication sometimes changes by era/label.
You may have one like this, 

This means "released on 1999 - April - 7th / will be allowed for a discount on 2001 - April - 6th". You'd better remember that the first date is the release date.

This date-indication changes by CATALOG NUMBER.
For example, there are some versions of
THE BEACH BOYS - Love You
SRCS-6095 / 91-06-01
TOCP-65571 / 00-09-27
This means,
SONY MUSIC re-issued LOVE YOU on 1991 June 1, and
TOSHIBA EMI re-issued LOVE YOU on 2000 Sep. 27.
The indication is NOT always expressing the original release date.


If a CD was released (re-issued) after 1992, you can easily know when the CD was issued by finding the indication, but

you may also know some different ones which don't show the released YEAR.

There are 8 alphabets, 

 N
I (no photo)

 H
 O
 R
 E
 C
D (no photo)

These alphabets are showing the RELEASE YEAR.
These are taken from NIHON RECORD (Recording Industry Association in Japan).
** NIHON is also pronounced as NIPPON, means Japan.

N- 1984, I- 1985, H- 1986, O- 1987, N (second time),
R- 1988, E- 1989, C- 1990, O (second time), R (second time), D- 1991

Although some labels started to indicate the actual year around 1989~1991, this style was kept until 1991. After 1992, ALL CDs are showing the releasing (re-issuing) year by figures.
If a CD seller says "ORIGINAL 1988 CD!!" although the CD's insert shows "91-04-21" or something like that, you'd better NOT buy it. 1988 version must show R-xx-xx.

Now, there is another IMPORTANT notice about "the consumer-tax" in Japan.
Japan started to collect "the consumer-tax" in April 1, 1989 for the first time. After that date, all shops were put under an obligation to indicate the price "including tax/excluding tax" somewhere on the package.
Of course, CDs came to show prices in 2 ways after April 1989, but

most of the CATALOG NUMBER didn't change then.
For example,
WARRANT Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich

This album was released in Japan on 1989 Feb.1 (25DP-5378).
CDs that were sold through Feb.1~March 31 have only 1 price, 2500 YEN on OBI-STRIP, but CDs which were sold after April 1 shows 2 prices, 2348 YEN (including tax) / 2280 YEN (excluding tax).
** The price has been down then.
The above photo is later version. It can be confirmed around the bottom of the OBI-STRIP. There is a small square near the lower-left corner (it's actually CBS/SONY logo), and there are small letters at the right of the square. It is the PRICE (including tax/excluding tax).
On the early version, sold before April 1, there are almost NO letters at the right of the square.

Therefore, there are 2 versions of 25DP-5378 CD, but BOTH of them are showing
E-02-01
which means "released on 1989, Feb.1" on both OBI-STRIP and the REAR INLAY.
There is another important thing about this CD.
25DP-5378 is sold until 21st Century!! (**)
If you'll find to get this CD somewhere, and if the shop says "ORIGINAL 25DP-5378!!", you'd better ask the shop if the price is showing ONLY 2500 YEN, or showing 2280/2348 YEN.
The former one is the REAL original pressing.
There are many other CDs like this. You should remember that the Consumer-tax started in Japan on April 1, 1989 and all CDs which were sold after the day have 2 prices.

(**) Regarding long-term selling catalog numbers, we'll write more details on this blog.

 on OBI-STRIP

 on REAR INLAY

The below photo means
BANNED for CD-rental until 1988-July-4 / released on 1987-July-5th

At SANREMO online shop (also at eBay),
we're checking these details, too, before listing.

our own web-shop

SANREMO CO.,LTD.

our ebay store

SANREMO at EBAY

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.

First, before our contents

We appreciate to introduce this website to the world.
http://nomorenuclear.net/en/



This is a local website in one region in Fukushima, Japan
where the famous Nuclear Power Plants are placed.
The town, Minami-Souma, is very close to those Power Plants, and
stepping into the town had been banned until April 2012.
The website-owners are neither political nor right-wing.
They are just residents and they are just wishing that their town will be safe again.


There are many other towns who are suffering from the Power Plants explosion
 and/or from awful Tsunami even after 1 year from that hideous disaster.

We, SANREMO, are appreciate if you, all around the world, still remember
that they're still fighting against a bad situation.


The owner of SANREMO, me, is from Fukushima.
I have many relatives and friends in Fukushima, Miyagi and Iwate.
SANREMO started selling Japanese goods to the world on April 2011
because we thought Japan needs to have more communications with the world.
Buying from us is NOT helping Fukushima directly (sorry!) but
we just want to tell you that the big earthquake and tsumi has NOT finished.


You can give your helping hands for Minami-Souma people if you have PayPal account.
Although there are many towns/cities other than Minami-Souma who are still fighting,
we strongly believe that the town is one of the most disastrous place
because they couldn't do nothing,
couldn't look for drowned persons in Tsunami,
couldn't start reconstructing their town and anything for their community
because of the radioactivity for 1 year.

Now, it's still before dawn for the town.
All we hope is a peace in every Japanese mind and
is that people in the world believe that we can have it.


THANK YOU for reading.
shop SANREMO / SANREMO CO.,LTD.

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.

SANREMO CO.,LTD.
is starting a blog about
JAPANESE TOYS/FIGURES
CDs/DVDs RELEASE IN JAPAN
etc.

our own web-shop
http://sanremo-jp.com/

our ebay store
http://stores.ebay.com/Sanremo-Japan

SANREMO PORTAL SITE (our main page)
*/ introducing links to our ebay STORE
(there you can choose ebay COM, CA, DE, IT, FR and/or more and more ebay)
*/ introducing our BLOGS and information of something about Japanese goods.